to deal with the tax increases and spending cuts that are due to take effect next week. no official fiscal cliff negotiations between republicans and democrats have been scheduled. not a great deal of progress. >>> with the government right on the edge now of that fiscal cliff, taxpayers are facing a lot of uncertainty as we head into the new year and for many of us the usual year-end financial strategies simply may not apply this year. 7 on your side's michael finney sorts out some of the confusion. >> reporter: when it comes to year end finances the old rules may not add up this year. >> it is difficult to do any type of tax planning and advising because nobody really knows exactly what is going to happen. >> much of the uncertainty centers around whether the united states is about to fall off that a fiscal cliff. if that happens, that would mean the end of the temporary payroll tax cuts. even if that doesn't happen, most believe taxes will go up next year. >> one of the things that is being floated right now is people are advising people to get out of dividend paying